CO2 Laser: Difference between revisions
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=Suppliers= | =Suppliers= | ||
*American supplier of tubes and components - [http://www.parallax-tech.com/] | *American supplier of tubes and components - [http://www.parallax-tech.com/] - but pricey at $4k for 80 watts | ||
*100W RF laser from [http://www.synrad.com/fseries/f100.htm Synrad] | *100W RF laser from [http://www.synrad.com/fseries/f100.htm Synrad] | ||
Revision as of 20:17, 25 October 2009
Introduction
A low-cost laser cutter ($1-2k) can be made using laser engraver parts.
- The CO2 laser tube - $500 for 80 Watts
- Laser tube mount
- power supply
- focus lens - $65 at [1]
- lens mount
- reflection mirror
- mirror mount
Design Rationale
The enabling point of a practical, low-cost laser design is the ability to do significant cuts (1/8") by performing multiple passes over the cut pattern. If each cut does 10 thousandths of an inch in steel for an 80 watt laser - then 12 passes give you a 1/8" cut. This is sufficient, for example, to laser-cut a 20" Sawmill blade
From [2]:
Resources
- Understanding CO2 Lasers paper
- Excellent resources for homebrew lasers - http://planetstephanie.net/hi-tech-fun/lasers/
- Here's an Instructables laser cutter for thousands of dollars - [3]
- Not CO2, but still a homebrew laser engraver for $60, 1/4 watt - [4]
Suppliers
- American supplier of tubes and components - [5] - but pricey at $4k for 80 watts
- 100W RF laser from Synrad
Professional Consultants
- Laser Kinetics
- Sam's Laser
- Zach Radding, made a CO2 laser cutter featured in Instructables